NASA to Host Event at Ames About Sea Level Rise in Santa Clara County

Media are invited to a public meeting to raise awareness about the effect of sea level rise on Santa Clara County residents and businesses, starting at 1:45 p.m., June 19, at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.

The event, called “Meeting the Challenge of Sea Level Rise in Santa Clara County,” is part of NASA’s ongoing effort to enhance knowledge, education and stewardship of the Earth. The Climate Adaptation Science Investigation team, led by NASA research scientist Cristina Milesi, assessed the risk of inundation from extreme storms developing under rising sea levels, which are projected to rise by as much as 63 inches by 2100 in the region. According to their data, half a billion dollars of federal property at Ames are at risk.

NASA Ames has partnered with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) to explore sustainability technologies that will help monitor and model water management in the Bay Area. BCDC estimates that $62 billion in economic value of Bay Area Shoreline development and 270,000 people in the Bay Area are at risk from a rise in sea level.

This event will discuss in more detail the latest sea level rise projections; address the on-going challenges and risks; and highlight local initiatives and actions in Santa Clara County. Members of the public will hear from keynote speaker Gary Griggs, Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences at University of California, Santa Cruz; Cristina Milesi, Earth senior research scientist at Ames; federal, state and local experts; and elected officials including U.S. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, California Assemblyman Rich Gordon and San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Pine.